Armed Forces: Education

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the report by Child Soldiers International, Mind the Gap: Education for Minors in the British Armed Forces.

Lord Astor of Hever: The previous Minister for the Armed Forces met with representatives of Child Soldiers International in June of this year and discussed some of the issues that were subsequently highlighted in their report Mind the Gap: Education for Minors in the British Armed Forces. The report expressed concerns over perceived gaps in educational attainment; in future employment prospects; and in Government policies on social mobility.
	The Government believe that the services provide challenging and constructive education, training and employment to many young people and that includes the provision of valuable transferable skills. The training offered by the Armed Forces includes apprenticeships in transport and warehousing, business administration and law, construction, health public service and social care. The Government see apprenticeships as the best way to learn in work and all Armed Forces apprenticeships are accredited and linked to national standards.
	The Ministry of Defence thus contributes to the development of national skills, in particular by delivering approximately more than 11,000 completed apprenticeships per annum across a broad spectrum of areas. We believe that the future employment prospects for those who leave the Armed Forces are enhanced as service personnel are expected to build on the skills they gain during their initial training in order to progress throughout their service careers and beyond. Schemes are in place to support lifelong learning and this is encouraged both during service, and for those who meet the qualifying criteria, up to 10 years beyond service.
	Our policies in this area allow young people to receive valuable training and education that not only meets the needs of the service, but in parallel helps the development of the individual for employment in latter years. It gives them the tools to succeed in a variety of business and skill areas, both within and beyond their service career, and thus supports social mobility.

Banking: Fund Managers

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will negotiate for fund managers to be exempt from restrictions on pay proposed by the European Union.

Lord Sassoon: Under the current UK remuneration framework, many fund managers are already in scope of the Financial Services Authority's remuneration code which implements the European Union's Capital Requirements Directive 3.
	The aim in negotiations is always to ensure that any additional proposals are only implemented where they would enhance the existing framework. In addition, it is important to ensure that national regulators retain the discretion to apply the provisions proportionately based on an institution's size and significance.

Employment: Work Capability Assessment

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are employed by the Department for Work and Pensions as decision makers for the purposes of the work capability assessment; and how many of those decision makers have so far received additional training as recommended by Professor Harrington in his independent review of the work capability assessment.

Lord Freud: There are 937 (2011-12 full time equivalent*) people employed by the department as ESA WCA Decision Makers.
	Professor Harrington's recommendations in respect of the training needs of decision makers in relation to the work capability assessment have been implemented in full. New learning was made available for decision makers on the WCA process and specifically on how to gather and use available evidence to make quality limited capability for work (LCW) and limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) decisions. Four additional training modules have been introduced in order to complement the existing decision-maker training routeway and allow us to respond as effectively as possible to Professor Harrington's recommendations. To date those modules have been attended by a combined total of almost 4,000 participants.
	The training needs of individual decision makers will vary according to their experience and not every decision maker will need to attend every module, but regular consideration is given to the ongoing training and development needs of every decision maker to ensure that each has the requisite skills and knowledge to make good decisions which give appropriate weight to additional evidence.
	*Full time equivalent is a way of presenting a total count of staff based on contracted hours worked in proportion to those hours of full time staff (36 hours in London and 37 elsewhere). FTE is the way staffing figures are presented in departmental reports and headcount profile tables, and workforce plans.

EU: Budget

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 23 July (WA 90), in the event that losses of €60 billion on the European financial stability mechanism and €50 billion on the balance of payments facility were to accrue, resulting in the European Union budget going into deficit, what are the regulations on how the deficit should be covered; and what would be the effect on the remaining member states in the event of some member states being unable to meet their commitments.

Lord Sassoon: Article 310.1 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (EU) states:
	"The revenue and expenditure shown in the budget shall be in balance."
	How the European Commission would raise the necessary amounts to service the debt through the EU budget in case of a default, and what that may imply for other member states contributions to the budget is set out in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1150/2000 of 22 May 2000 implementing decision 2007/436/EC, Euratom on the system of the European Communities' own resources.
	EU member states are required to make their EU budget contributions under obligations imposed by the treaties. Article 11 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2028/2004 of 16 November 2004, amended by Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 105/2009 of 26 January 2009, makes it clear that any delay in making payments would give rise to the payment of interest by the member state concerned. There is no precedent of a member state indefinitely failing to meet its financial commitments to the EU budget.
	The Government have taken action with its EU partners to mitigate the UK's exposures to one of the financial assistance mechanisms to which the noble Lord refers. At its December 2010 meeting, the European Council agreed that the "the member states of the euro area" will establish a permanent mechanism, the European stability mechanism (ESM), to safeguard the financial stability of the euro area as a whole. The ESM will replace both the euro area-only European financial stability facility and the European financial stability mechanism. The Government have ensured that the UK will not be part of the ESM.

European Investment Bank

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 23 July (WA 90), whether any loans have been made by the European Investment Bank on the basis of guarantees from the autonomous regions of Valencia and Murcia or the Bankia Group.

Lord Sassoon: The European Investment Bank (EIB) has confirmed that it has loans outstanding which benefit from the guarantee of these regions or of the Bankia Group. In accordance with applicable rules, the EIB is not in a position to disclose further details of such loans.

Gaza

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether imports of construction materials into Gaza have increased since the meetings in July 2012 between British diplomats and Israeli officials.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Despite representations to the Israeli authorities from our officials in Israel, figures from the United Nations show that fewer construction materials entered Gaza in August than July via the official crossings (63,640 tonnes compared to 74,760 tonnes). This is despite the 5 August attack by militants in Sinai which led to the Egyptian Government taking measures to close many of the tunnel crossings, leading to a 50% reduction in construction materials coming into Gaza by this means from July to August. This reduction can be explained by the fact that only international projects can import construction materials into Gaza via the official crossings so the private sector cannot make up any shortage in materials by importing through the official crossings as opposed to the tunnels. The UK continues, with others, to press the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions for Gaza.

Gibraltar

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times armed vessels from the Spanish Guardia Civil have been recorded by the Gibraltarian or United Kingdom authorities entering British Gibraltar Territorial Waters escorting Spanish fishing boats fishing illegally, in the years 2010, 2011, and to date in 2012.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times Spanish Guardia Civil vessels have been recorded entering into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters escorting Spanish vessels fishing illegally in these areas each month in the years 2010, 2011, and to date in 2012.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: We are not aware of any incursions in 2010 or 2011 in which Guardia Civil vessels escorted Spanish fishing vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. According to our records, there have been a total of 47 such incursion incidents in the period from 1 January 2012 to 31 August 2012: 10 in May; six in June; 16 in July; and 15 in August. Guardia Civil officers, including those involved in these incursions, are normally armed but their vessels are not armed.
	Spanish agencies have no jurisdiction in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The Royal Navy challenges all unlawful maritime incursions by the Guardia Civil and we make formal diplomatic protests about all such incursions to the Spanish Government. In our protests we make it clear that such incursions are an unacceptable violation of British sovereignty.

Gibraltar

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times HM Ambassador to Spain has been called in by the Spanish Foreign Minister in Madrid to answer complaints from the Spanish authorities with regard to our activities in Gibraltar each month in 2010, 2011, and to date in 2012.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Spanish Foreign Minister has called in our ambassador to Spain once since the start of 2010 to discuss issues relating to Gibraltar. This was in March 2012. The ambassador has regular discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Gibraltar-related issues in the course of normal diplomatic business.

Gibraltar

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government many times the Spanish Ambassador to the Court of St James been called in to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to answer complaints from the United Kingdom Government over Spanish vessels fishing illegally in the British Gibraltar Territorial Waters each month in the years 2010, 2011, and to date in 2012.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: We have not called in the Spanish ambassador to complain about Spanish vessels fishing illegally in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters during 2010, 2011 or 2012. Before 2012 limited fishing by Spanish vessels took place, in contravention of Gibraltar law, under an informal agreement between the previous Chief Minister of Gibraltar and local Spanish fishermen. The position of the new Government of Gibraltar is that application of the law should be equal for everyone.
	When the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) met the Spanish Foreign Minister on 29 May, they agreed their joint support for a local solution to the fishing dispute. This remains our position and we encourage all parties to show restraint and engage in dialogue to find a way forward.

Gibraltar

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enhance Royal Naval resources engaged in monitoring and repressing illegal activities by Spanish fishing and Guardia Civil vessels within the British Gibraltar territorial waters.

Lord Astor of Hever: The Royal Navy in Gibraltar currently has sufficient assets to challenge unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters by Spanish state vessels. We continually monitor the situation and routinely adjust our force posture and resources as appropriate.

Nuclear Weapons

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress, effectiveness and achievements of the seven-nation initiative on nuclear non-proliferation, established at the 2005 United Nations World Summit in New York; and what steps they are taking to promote it.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The seven-nation initiative was formed in response to the lack of a substantive agreement at the 2005 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. It helped to broaden the understanding between states of their positions on disarmament and non-proliferation ahead of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, at which consensus was reached. Bridging the divide between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states will be a component of UK engagement in the run-up to the 2015 NPT Review Conference. At this stage, and following the consensus in 2010, the Government do not see a need to revive the seven-nation initiative.

Nuclear Weapons

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to the effectiveness of the proliferation security initiative as a counter-proliferation instrument; and what steps they have taken to promote it.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The proliferation security initiative (PSI) has helped to sensitise the international community to the problems of trafficking weapons of mass destruction (WMD), WMD delivery systems and related materials. Addressing these problems requires the widest possible co-operation between states. PSI provides an effective framework for building consensus and developing best practice on taking practical action. We adhere to and promote the PSI principles which are aimed at improving international efforts to halt these illicit goods in transit. We co-operate with international partners on operational activities and engage with industry on export control measures.

Nuclear Weapons

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress towards entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and what steps they have taken to encourage its earliest possible commencement.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) moved a step closer in February this year with the very welcome ratification of the treaty by the Republic of Indonesia. The Government are continuing to take all appropriate opportunities to promote signature and ratification of the CTBT, including by the remaining eight Annex 2 countries. The Government are working with Annex 2 countries including the United States to promote their ratification efforts, recognising that United States ratification is likely to provide an impetus for other Annex 2 countries to follow suit.
	The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend, the Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) will be attending the sixth ministerial meeting on early entry into force of the CTBT in New York city on 27 September, where he will reiterate the Government's commitment to early entry into force of the CTBT and will highlight the work that the UK has been conducting to support the implementation of the verification regime, including the technical support provided by experts from the Ministry of Defence, the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the CTBT Organisation.

Nuclear Weapons

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate negotiations for a fissile material cut-off treaty.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK continues to push for the immediate start of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty in the Conference on Disarmament (CD). We believe the CD represents the best option we have for negotiations, with all the relevant states as members. At the conference in Washington of the five recognised nuclear-weapon states in June, attendees discussed how to achieve a legally binding, verifiable international ban on the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons. We continue to engage actively with these and other relevant states on ways to break the current impasse in the CD in advance of the United Nations General Assembly First Committee in October.

Nuclear Weapons

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support the development and use of proliferation-resistant technologies in the nuclear fuel cycle.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK participates in the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Co-operation (IFNEC), which provides a forum to explore ways of ensuring that the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is efficient and meets the highest standards of safety, security and non-proliferation. Proliferation resistance is one of several factors that will influence policy decisions on nuclear issues, such as a decision on the reuse of plutonium (www.decc.gov. uk/en/content/cros/consultations/pluto_reuse/pluto_reuse.aspx).

RAF: Drone Pilots

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many drone pilots are currently qualified in the Royal Air Force; and how many are undergoing training.

Lord Astor of Hever: There are currently 31 Royal Air Force personnel qualified to pilot the Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The Royal Air Force will train a further 16 RPA pilots between October 2012 and September 2013.

Remploy

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Remploy factories have been closed as a result of their decision to withdraw their subsidy from Remploy.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many employees were made redundant at each of the Remploy factories that have closed since the start of 2012.

Lord Freud: Of the 27 factories and associated business identified by the Remploy board for closure and the board's subsequent announcement on 10 July 2012, five factories have closed and 19 factories have ceased trading.
	By 14 September, 977 factory employees have been made redundant.
	Those former Remploy employees who are disabled and were made compulsorily redundant can now receive support from the People Help and Support Package. This package includes personalised support and the Government have made £8 million available to fund this delivery across the UK.

Sudan and South Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports published on 24 July that United Nations investigators have confirmed reports of renewed aerial bombardment of South Sudan sovereign territory at Rumaker, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State, by North Sudan; what implications these have for the negotiations taking place between the two countries in Addis Ababa; and whether they intend to press for those responsible for ordering such attacks to be brought to justice.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: As reflected in the statement made by the President of the Security Council on 31 August, we are seriously concerned by the incident on 20 July in which an aerial bombardment by Sudanese forces is reported to have taken place across the border with South Sudan. We condemn all violations of UN Security Council Resolution 2046, including aerial bombardments and cross-border movements by armed rebel groups. The Security Council will take all violations into account in determining compliance with Resolution 2046, and any action that should be taken against either party as a consequence. None the less, we welcome the overall decline in tensions at the border since the spring. We now urge the two Governments to resolve all outstanding issues between them at the talks currently taking place in Addis Ababa.

Welfare: Social Fund

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many residents of Newcastle upon Tyne applied for loans or grants from the Social Fund in the last financial year; what proportion of applications in each category was successful; and what was the average amount awarded.

Lord Freud: Table 1 provides the number of initial applications, decisions and awards for community care grants, crisis loans and budgeting loans made by residents in the Northumbria Social Fund Budget Area in 2011-12. The proportion that were successful (calculated as initial awards divided by initial decisions) and the average award amounts are also given.
	Table 1: Total number of community care grant, crisis loan and budgeting loan applications, decisions and awards made by residents in the Northumbria Social Fund Budget Area in 2011-12
	
		
			  Community Care Grants Crisis Loans Budgeting Loans Total 
			 Initial Applications 14,300 56,900 42,400 113,500 
			 Initial Decisions 14,100 56,300 42,200 112,700 
			 Initial Awards 5,400 45,600 30,200 81,300 
			 Success Rate 38.4% 81.0% 71.6% 72.1% 
			 Average Award Amount £501 £62 £359 £202 
		
	
	Source: Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System
	Notes:
	1. Data on community care grants, crisis loans and budgeting loans is not held by local authority or parliamentary constituency but by Jobcentre Plus Social Fund budget area. The figures for the Northumbria social fund budget area cover areas other than Newcastle upon Tyne.
	2. The application, decision and award figures have been rounded to the nearest 100, percentages to the nearest 0.1 % and award amounts to the nearest £1.
	3. The figures relate to applications, decisions or awards, not people. Individuals can apply for and receive more than one Social Fund Loan in any given year.
	4. The difference between the number of initial applications received and the number of initial decisions is due to applications being withdrawn, applicants rejecting or not responding to loan offers, or decisions not being recorded on the Social Fund computer system on the date the count was made.

Burma

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what projects are funded by the Department for International Development to promote communal understanding between ethnic Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine in Rakhine State, Burma.

Baroness Northover: The UK has called on the Burmese Government and representatives of ethnic groups to end the violence, grant full humanitarian access to affected areas and build a process of reconciliation among the communities in Rakhine state, Burma. No bilateral projects are funded by DfID to promote communal understanding between ethnic Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine in Rakhine State, Burma. DfID has provided humanitarian support in Rakhine through core contributions to the UN and EU.

Civil Service: Secondments

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 9 July (WA 201), how many staff from (1) the Department for International Development, (2) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (3) the Ministry of Defence, and (4) the Cabinet Office, are on secondment from the civil service, and to which organisations; and how many external staff are currently seconded into each of those departments and from which organisations.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Figures across the Civil Service are not held centrally but for the Cabinet Office as at 31 July 2012 data held on secondments include:
	
		
			 Seconded Out 
			 Name of Organisation Number of employees 
			 Civil Service Commission 2 
			 House of Commons 2 
			 Law Commission 1 
			 London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 1 
			 House of Lords 1 
			 Metropolitan Police 1 
			 National Policing Improvement Agency 3 
			 Total 11 
		
	
	
		
			 Seconded In 
			 Name of Organisation Number of employees 
			 Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) 1 
			 Locality 1 
			 Royal Navy 1 
			 23red 1 
			 Balfour Beatty Construction Services UK (BBCS) 1 
			 Big Lottery Fund 1 
			 Charities Aid Foundation 1 
			 Deloitte LLP 1 
			 Ernst and Young LLP 2 
			 House of Commons 4 
			 House of Lords 2 
			 London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 1 
			 National Audit Office 1 
			 The Household of TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall 1 
			 West Mercia Police 1 
			 West Yorkshire Police 1 
			 Total 21

Civil Service: Secondments

Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many senior civil servants are currently on secondment from HM Treasury to companies in the United Kingdom; and what are the names of those companies.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many senior civil servants from HM Treasury were seconded to companies in the United Kingdom in 2011; and what were the names of those companies.

Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury does not currently have any senior civil servants on secondment to companies in the United Kingdom.
	In 2011, one senior civil servant from HM Treasury was seconded to Tesco plc.

Council Tax

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the responses to the consultation on localising council tax benefit; if so, when; and whether they intend to publish a response to the consultation.

Baroness Hanham: The government response to the consultation on the "Localising Council Tax Support Funding Arrangements" will be published in due course and will include the government response to the current consultation on "Council Tax Base and Funding for Local Precepting Authorities". A summary of responses to the consultations will be published alongside the government response.

Debt

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to reducing government debt as a share of national income by the end of this Parliament.

Lord Sassoon: As announced in the June 2010 Budget, the Government have set a forward-looking fiscal mandate, which is supported by a supplementary target for debt that requires public sector net debt as a percentage of gross domestic product to be falling at a fixed date of 2015-16. The Government remain committed to ensuring that the public finances are restored to a sustainable path.

Drones

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ask the United Nations Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings to examine the current use of drones by the United States to kill suspected terrorists.

Baroness Warsi: The UK supports the special rapporteur and respects the independence of his mandate. Drone strikes are a matter for the United States and countries concerned. We expect all states concerned to act in accordance with international law and take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties when conducting military operations.

Energy: Nuclear Power

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many tonnes of plutonium are stored at Dounreay; whether they intend to move this material to Sellafield; and, if so, how it will be transported.

Baroness Verma: There is approximately two tonnes of plutonium in safe and secure storage at Dounreay. In February 2012 an NDA credible options paper was published which set out how this and other nuclear material at Dounreay could best be managed. The NDA will publish a preferred options paper, which will set out the chosen way forward for this material, in the coming months.

Energy: Nuclear Waste

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that any medium-term or long-term repository for nuclear waste in the United Kingdom is constructed in the safest possible place, and that both voluntarism and bidding approaches to waste storage are assessed in that context.

Baroness Verma: Geological disposal is internationally recognised as the preferred approach for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste. The Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme provides a framework for implementing geological disposal through an approach based on voluntarism, partnership, shared knowledge and agreement. A willing community with suitable geology is required for the successful implementation of geological disposal. Safety is paramount and the geological setting of a disposal facility is key to the achievement of long-term safety. No facility will be constructed in an area with unsuitable geology and no facility will be built and operated if the demanding safety case requirements of the independent statutory regulators are not met.

Excise Fuel Duty

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average time period that HM Revenue and Customs Cumbernauld takes to process paper fuel excise duty returns for biofuels and other fuel substitutes companies and to report to the Department for Transport in order for Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation certificates to be issued.

Lord Sassoon: HMRC aims to complete processing of excise duty returns for biofuels and other fuel substitutes by the 21st of each month. The due date for the returns is the 15th of each month. HMRC reports the return details by agreement with the Department for Transport (together with details of other fuel returns) on the 14th of the following month.

Food: Banks

Lord Christopher: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the remarks of Richard Benyon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, that "it is ridiculous to say that the rise in the need for food banks is attributable to this Government" (Official Report, Commons, 23 January col. 80) represents current Government policy.

Lord De Mauley: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was responding to the suggestion that rises in food prices and numbers of food banks are a result of actions of this Government.
	We actively monitor food prices and the drivers behind changes in commodity prices. Research into this area has shown that the key drivers behind changes in food prices are global agricultural commodity prices, exchange rates, and fluctuating oil prices. Food price inflation in August was 2.2% below general inflation which is 2.5%.
	Whilst there are no official figures for the number of food banks, or the number of people using them, the Government recognise that rising food prices mean that, for many, a greater proportion of household income is being spent on food.
	However, Mr Benyon was clear in his response that the Government are responding to an economic situation that they inherited. That is why we are working nationally and internationally to promote open global markets and boost trade, which help keep food prices at levels that all households in the UK find affordable. The Government are active on the world stage, working with G20 partners to improve market information through the agricultural market information system and working to discourage inappropriate reactions to market events, such as the use of export bans, through the Rapid Response Forum.

Fuel Excise Duty

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to computerise fuel excise duty returns administered by HM Revenue and Customs Cumbernauld.

Lord Sassoon: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently has no plans to introduce an online filing service for fuel excise duties currently processed in Cumbernauld. HMRC is developing a digital strategy which will set out how it will deliver its digital and internet services in the future.

Health: Prosthetics

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients were fitted with microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees by the National Health Service in each of the past five years in (1) England, and (2) each primary care trust.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provision of prosthetics will be commissioned by regional specialist groups or through national specialist commissioning arrangements.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the National Commissioning Board plan to issue guidance indicating the patient profile which is suitable to be fitted with a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee.

Earl Howe: The information requested on how many patients were fitted with microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees by the National Health Service in each of the past five years is not held centrally.
	Ministers have now accepted the recommendations made by the Clinical Advisory Group for Prescribed Services (CAG) led by Dr Kathy McLean. This recommended that specialist services to support patients with complex physical disabilities (including prosthetics) be directly commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board from April 2013. Ministers are currently consulting with the NHS Commissioning Board on the list of services contained within the CAG report and on the basis of the results of the consultation we will be setting out the list of services in regulations.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will make decisions about guidance once arrangements for the commissioning of specialist services to support patients with complex physical disabilities have been confirmed.

International Atomic Energy Agency

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what practical and financial support they provide to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Baroness Verma: The Government provide annual contributions to the IAEA Regular Budget and the IAEA Technical Co-operation Fund, totalling this year-subject to exchange rates-about £20 million. They also support a National Safeguards Support Programme of £1.5 million per annum and this year have contributed to the IAEA's Nuclear Security Fund (£4 million) and the IAEA's Safeguards Laboratory (£0.5 million). Government officials from several departments also provide significant technical and other advice and assistance, including participation in the agency's formal groups on safeguards implementation, nuclear security, and nuclear safety.

Internet: Broadband

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will provide a breakdown of the fees paid to Ofcom in the financial year 2011-12 by each government department for the use of spectrum under Section 163 of the Communications Act 2003.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Under Section 28 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, which supersedes Section 163 of the Communications Act, Ofcom receives fees for spectrum use from certain government departments. The level of fees is not set by Ofcom but is agreed between the relevant department and the Treasury.
	The payments to Ofcom for the financial year 2011-12 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Department Amount (£) 
			 Ministry of Defence £154,878,400 
			 Science and Technology Facilities Council £809,415 
			 Total £155,687,815 
		
	
	In addition to the payments made under Section 28 of the WTA 2006, Ofcom received payments in 2011-12 from some other government departments, either on their own behalf or on behalf of bodies for which they are responsible, which relate to use of spectrum. The payments concerned, which are not connected to licences and are therefore not fees, are at the discretion of the Secretary of State. Ofcom does not collate such payments.

NHS: Non-executive Appointments

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why no central record is kept of non-executive appointments to the boards of NHS organisations.

Earl Howe: The NHS Trust Development Authority maintains a database of records of all chairs and non-executive appointments to National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. This database does not include details of those appointed to NHS foundation trusts as these appointments are made locally, by the governors of the relevant foundation trust.

NHS: Staff

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS staff, in each year for the past ten years, have received a financial settlement to leave the NHS as a part of a confidentiality, non-disclosure or compromise agreement; how many staff per trust, or other form of NHS organisation, received settlements; what were the roles or staff grades occupied by the staff members who received settlements; and what was the total financial compensation paid out to those individuals for each of those years.

Earl Howe: National Health Service bodies must obtain HM Treasury's explicit permission before making any staff severance payments that exceed legal or contractual obligations. The following table shows the number and total value of those approved financial settlements for strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts.
	The table does not include the actual payments, as this information is not held by the department. The final actual payments made can be lower than the approved amount or not made at all.
	The department does not hold equivalent data on financial settlement for foundation trusts. The table therefore does not include foundations trusts. Foundation trusts' severance cases are under the direction of Monitor.
	The department does not hold information regarding the number of confidentiality clauses that have been included as part of any financial settlement. The data held do not include staff grade or role.
	The department does not hold the requested information prior to 2008-09.
	
		
			  Number of cases approved by HMT Total Value of Approved Payments 
			 2008-09 192 5,990,504 
			 2009-10 130 2,490,968 
			 2010-11 35 508,174 
			 1011-12 32 866,113

NHS: Tribunals

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff have initiated tribunal proceedings against the NHS over bullying or related issues each year for the past 10 years.

Earl Howe: Data are not held centrally on the numbers of staff who have initiated tribunal proceedings against the National Health Service over bullying or related issues. Bullying and harassment cases are recorded locally as part of an employer's bullying and harassment policy and procedure.

NHS: Whistleblowing

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS staff have made use of the NHS whistleblowing helpline in each year since its establishment.

Earl Howe: An National Health Service whistleblowing helpline has been available for staff since 2003. Between 2003 and 2008, statistics relating to the volume of calls made were not collected by the department.
	However, on 1 April 2008 a contractual arrangement was entered into with the whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work (PCaW) and, as part of the new contractual arrangements, PCaW was required to report the numbers of calls it received to the department1. Information reported to the department by PCaW, relating to calls which were declared to be from the NHS, for the period 1 April 2008 to 31 December 2011 is shown in the following table.
	Since 1 January 2012, the Royal Mencap Society has held the contract to operate the whistleblowing helpline and the figures from 1 January 2012 to 31 August 2012 reflect the number of whistleblowing related calls to it in the first eight months of operation.
	
		
			 Time Frame Numbers of calls/e-mail contacts received 
			 1 April 2008-31 March 2009 217 
			 1 April 2009-31 March 2010 215 
			 1 April 2010-30 April 2011 252 
			 1 May 2011-31 December 2011 n/a2 
			 1 January 2012-31 August 2012 239 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 PCaW also publish statistics on calls received in their annual reports, which can be found on their website www.pcaw.org.uk.
	2 The department did not receive a break down of calls for the health sector in the PCaW report for the period 1 May-31 December 2011. However, PCaW reported that it had received a total of 412 calls, including calls from sectors other than the NHS.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the Department for International Development's core contribution to UNIFEM in (1) 2008-09, (2) 2009-10, and (3) 2010-11.

Baroness Northover: DfID provided core funding to UNIFEM over the period stated to the total value of £9 million, paid in three yearly payments of £3 million for each of the financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the Department for International Development's core contribution to UN Women in (1) 2010-11, and (2) 2011-12.

Baroness Northover: DfID provided core funding to UN Women over the period stated to the total value of £20 million, paid in two yearly payments of £10 million for each of the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13. For the financial year 2010-11 the core funding was provided to UNIFEM.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government which five countries received the most bilateral funding for reproductive health and family planning from the Department for International Development in (1) 2008-09, (2) 2009-10, (3) 2010-11, and (4) 2011-12; and what amount each of these countries received.

Baroness Northover: The five countries which received the most bilateral funding for reproductive health and family planning from the Department for International Development in (1) 2008-09, (2) 2009-10 and (3) 2010-11 are listed below together with the amounts disbursed.
	
		
			 Year Country Sector Amount (£k) 
			 2010-11 India Reproductive Health Care 10,089 
			 2010-11 Sierra Leone Reproductive Health Care 2,804 
			 2010-11 Kenya Reproductive Health Care 2,274 
			 2010-11 Zimbabwe Reproductive Health Care 1,660 
			 2010-11 Ethiopia Reproductive Health Care 1,561 
			 2010-11 India Family Planning, Health 9,987 
			 2010-11 Tanzania Family Planning, Health 6,508 
			 2010-11 Uganda Family Planning, Health 5,695 
			 2010-11 Ethiopia Family Planning, Health 4,541 
			 2010-11 Malawi Family Planning, Health 2,054 
			 2009-10 India Reproductive Health Care 11,308 
			 2009-10 Zimbabwe Reproductive Health Care 2,473 
			 2009-10 Kenya Reproductive Health Care 2,193 
			 2009-10 Sierra Leone Reproductive Health Care 1,805 
			 2009-10 Ethiopia Reproductive Health Care 686 
			 2009-10 India Family Planning, Health 11,365 
			 2009-10 Sierra Leone Family Planning, Health 1,805 
			 2009-10 Ethiopia Family Planning, Health 1,278 
			 2009-10 Malawi Family Planning, Health 400 
			 2009-10 Cambodia Family Planning, Health 175 
			 2008-09 India Reproductive Health Care 16,054 
			 2008-09 Nigeria Reproductive Health Care 3,108 
			 2008-09 Kenya Reproductive Health Care 2,131 
			 2008-09 Zimbabwe Reproductive Health Care 2,111 
			 2008-09 Pakistan Reproductive Health Care 1,753 
			 2008-09 Pakistan Family Planning, Health 1,871 
			 2008-09 Ethiopia Family Planning, Health 754 
			 2008-09 Sierra Leone Family Planning, Health 413 
			 2008-09 Uganda Family Planning, Health 412 
			 2008-09 Cambodia Family Planning, Health 201 
		
	
	Information for 2011-12 is not yet available but will be published in the department's statistics on international development for 2011-12.

United Arab Emirates

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have received about Abdulaziz Almehairai, Ali Abdulla Alkhaja, Ahmad Awad Alsharqi, Jawal Awad Alsharqi, Abdulla Naseb Aljabri and Rashed Khalfan bin Sabt; and whether they will ask the Government of the United Arab Emirates to allow them family visits and access to defence counsel.

Baroness Warsi: We are aware of the cases of those individuals arrested on 27 and 28 August 2012 for alleged crimes against the state, but have not received any specific information about the individuals listed.
	We raise our concerns about human rights and the rule of law with the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a regular basis, including at ministerial level, and most recently on 17 September 2012. We have and will continue to stress that all those arrested should be treated in accordance with UAE law and be subject to due legal process. We will continue to do so.